Stuart Fraser
5 'Biography' Detective Constable Stuart Fraser (Colin McCredie) is a character in Taggart. Stuart was first introduced to the Taggart Team in the episode Black Orchid. Fraser was revealed to be gay in the episode Angel Eyes, and his sexuality proved crucial to catching a murder. At the end of the episode, both Jackie and Stuart seemed to have their eye on the same man, the mysterious businessman Stephen Harding. When Stuart ended up with him and went off in his car, Jackie joked to Michael that "Life's a bitch." In the same episode, it was revealed that Fraser was being blackmailed by an old boyfriend called Andy who was also an compulsive lier and was one of the suspect in the murder investigation. In A Taste of Money it is revealed that another old boyfriend of Fraser's, Tyler, is one of the suspects in a murder enquiry. In the episode, A Study in Murder, it is revealed that Stuart was an adopted boy and he goes looking for his biological mother but the reunion does not go well. Towards the end of the episode Law, he almost lost his life after being stabbed during the investigation of a murder at a nearby fairground. In Out of Bounds, when Stuart and the team investigated a murder at a school, he was taunted by his old PE teacher, Alex Milligan for how he was different from the other pupils. Milligan made Stuart's life hell. 'Personality and appearance' Stuart is known for his lovable and innocent nature. He begins his career as a gentle, naive newbie, always willing to talk to people and geek out about researching things, which his colleagues find both endearing and exhausting. As he grows older his enthusiasm is tempered and he becomes calmer, but he is still always eager to learn. He is described by his colleagues as "the only one of us likely to make a decent parent", an ironic observation as Stuart is gay. He is usually always smartly dressed, is one of the few officers to wear sleeve-garters, has a natty taste in ties and ginger hair. He finds it easy to get information out of frightened suspects, and is also the one relied upon by the rest of the team when they need to confide or need help. Stuart is also the most up-to-date member of the team and is good with technology and computers. He is nicknamed Stuarty by DCI Burke at one point, and the name sticks. 'DS Jackie Reid' Out of all of his colleagues, Stuart is closest to Jackie Reid, as the two had worked together the longest out of the main foursome (Burke, Ross, Reid and Fraser.) Stuart first met her in the episode Black Orchid and they formed a close friendship. She finds out about Stuart being gay in the episode, Angel Eyes and is the most accepting. She keeps his secret for as long as possible, and supports him when he is put at risk because of his sexuality. She fights his corner throughout the episode, even going round to a suspect's house to warn him off harrassing Stuart. Jackie is shown to be fiercely protective of Stuart, and is upset and curt with her boss Burke when he suspends Stuart for a mistake in An Eye for an Eye. She keeps pushing until she proves that Stuart is actually an innocent victim, and visits him at home during his suspension to provide support. The two often confide in each other, and Stuart is the first to congratulate her on her marriage. Stuart confides in Jackie about find out he was adopted, and the two are often seen looking out or covering for each other when in trouble. 'DCI Michael Jardine' Jardine first met Stuart in the episode Black Orchid, but didn't find out that Fraser was gay until the episode Angel Eyes. He was the only colleague to have problems with Stuart's sexuality, whereas Jackie and The Biscuit appeared to take it in their stride. Jardine was told to "unbutton it a little" by McVitie. Later on Jardine seemed to get over his mild homophobia, and Fraser and Jardine had a great working relationship. Over the series they became fairly close as boss and constable. (though not as close as Fraser's later boss, Burke would be.) Fraser was devastated when Jardine died, and was the first to find out that his body had been discovered. 'DCI Matthew Burke' Burke was Fraser's second boss, but over time they grew to have a somewhat closer working relationship than Jardine and Fraser. They first met Burke in the episode Death Trap when he arrived to replace DCI Michael Jardine. The first thing he said to Stuart was "Do your tie up, I've got nothing against shirt lifters, but I can't stand sloppy dressers." Throughout the series Burke has no problems with Stuart's sexuality, and Stuart once even seemed relaxed enough to tell him about an old boyfriend who worked for the Red Cross while investigating a case together. In their second episode, Fire, Burn there is a little bit of friction between the two as Burke is still trying to stamp his authority on the team and initially treats young Fraser as a bit of an errand-boy. However, Fraser quietly stands up for himself and contradicts Burke, insisting on following a different line of enquiry. This surprisingly wins him some respect from Burke, and praise in the form of a coffee when Stuart is proved partially right. Burke seems to respect a man who speaks up for himself, however junior and even chastises Robbie Ross for "letting the junior officers go over the top" first. Burke often treats Fraser as a naive but useful protege, and relies on him for most technological issues. However, it is in An Eye For An Eye that their relationship is tested, as Burke wrongly believes Stuart to have been negligent and feckless on a job. Stuart is proved to be innocent at the end of the episode, and Burke seems to gain a little more respect for him as an all-round police officer, not just a computer whizz. Burke often calls Stuart by the nickname "Stuarty", indicating a level of gruff fondness in their working relationship. 'DI Robbie Ross' While Fraser is probably closest to Jackie Reid in terms of having known each other, Robbie and Stuart eventually become something of a double act. The two police officers are polar opposites - Robbie is the classic "tall, dark and handsome", constantly chases after women, gambling, sex and fun, while Fraser is geeky, gay, ginger and a bit more calm in personality. Robbie even describes Stuart as "the only one of us four likely to make a decent parent." While they first meet in the episode A Few Bad Men, Robbie initially assumes that Stuart is straight. Stuart attempts to correct him but is interrupted. Stuart eventually comes out to Ross in the episode Bloodlines, and Robbie is initially shocked to learn that Stuart is gay. Over the course of the episode, he gets over his surprise and seems quite fine with Fraser's sexuality, and in later episodes he does have a tendency to tease him about it. Fraser often responds playfully and there is a lot of banter and bickering between the two. It's always kept within limits, though, and the one time it goes too far, in the episode Wavelength, Robbie apologises to Stuart. The moment when it becomes obvious that Ross has become close to Fraser as a friend and has changed as a person comes in Ghost Rider, when Robbie and Fraser have to work with Robbie's old police mates. These police officers are uncouth, bullying and openly homophobic towards Stuart, and their remarks go beyond teasing. Robbie initially says nothing as he still considers these men his friends, but later, after a particularly nasty remark, he sticks up for Stuart against his old mates. This gets him scorn from his old friends, but he doesn't seem to care any more. Fraser often covers up for Robbie's mistakes or brings him up to speed on things when the other gets distracted. When Robbie was accused of corruption, Fraser was outraged on his behalf, and works with Jackie to prove Robbie's innocence. Robbie does the same for Stuart in An Eye for an Eye, when Stuart is suspended wrongfully over a case that went wrong, and even stands up to the boss for him. Fraser, Stuart